Judging from the images above and others of their ilk, we ski, skate, slide and, generally, smile our way through a Midwestern winter. That's the visual takeaway from readers who submitted more than 140 photographs on Instagram of their go-to outdoor activities. One of the contributors, Adam McDaniel (@adam.mcdaniel), lives in Champlin, but his heart clearly is upstate. His photos say as much. "The solitude and the wilderness. Just getting away from the rush of the city," said McDaniel, 21, of his affinity for northern Minnesota. When free time arrives, "no place is off limits for me."

To see more photos, search the hashtag #STdothis. Also, view a gallery online. Of course, get into the season and post a photo, too.